1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wood dust collection apparatus and in particular, to a portable apparatus for collecting wood dust generated as a result of wood floor sanding operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wood dust is classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as a harmful material and inhalation can cause respiratory problems. There exist in the market place dust collection apparatus for use in a wood shop environment where saws, planers, sanders and the like generate dust by virtue of their operation on a piece of wood. In such a wood shop environment, one would expect to generate wood dust and therefore the commercial dust collection systems are generally stationary and the surrounding walls of the wood working shop are devoid of decoration. U.S. Pat. No. 5, 606,767 to Crlenjak and 4,977,638 to Best.
Applicant performs commercial sanding of wooden floors such as hardwood flooring or the like. The work is performed both in a residential and commercial settings. The equipment utilized by Applicant may include multiple sanders, edgers and buffers. Further, the equipment may be used simultaneously in different rooms within a residential setting or in different offices or different floors in a commercial setting. The equipment is generally powered by an electric motor and attempts at collecting the dust particulate from the sanding operation in the past have included bags attached to the sander, edger or buffer which would quickly fill up and require emptying and in the process often resulted in wood dust escaping from the bag or container.
Therefore, there was a need for a centralized collection system for the collection of wood dust generated during the wood floor sanding operation. The collection system must be relatively light weight and portable, yet powerful enough to draw sufficient static pressure to allow the sanders, edgers and buffers to operate in the desired location. The centralized portable system would be desirable when performing work on new construction when the residence or commercial setting has not been decorated and you want to insure that all the wood dust generated from the sanding operation is collected. However, the portable centralized system would be a necessity when one was sanding the floor of a home or office or other commercial setting which was decorated. In those instances, the walls may be painted and have decorative art hung thereon, window treatments may be present, as well as certain furniture which may be incapable of being moved. In such an instance in order to avoid costly and time consuming prep time, (i.e. tape and plastic sheet set up), and clean up, a centralized portable system which would vacuum the wood dust simultaneously with its generation would be required.
Such a centralized portable system would also address safety factors. In a conventional wood sanding operation as is presently available, the ventilation return must be closed and sealed to prevent the excess dust not picked up by the individual machines from being returned through the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system and blocking the system and affecting its efficiency. Still further, the wood dust that is generated from a wood sanding operation is oftentimes very fine and deleterious to the human body if inhaled. Still further, the wood dust collected is combustible. In Applicant""s centralized system, all of the wood dust is collected and the collection container is exterior from the work area. It would either be located outside away from the house, or in a multi-story office dwelling, would most likely be located in a stairwell, which is completely concrete. In either instance, an accidental spark combusting the wood dust would not endanger the home or the office space.
Applicant""s centralized system is so efficient that it can be utilized to sand the wood floors of bars, restaurants, banquet halls and clothing stores without the need to remove product or go to the expense of covering all of the product with plastic sheets and tape.
Another advantage of Applicant""s centralized system is the electrical hook up for the motors and blowers of the vacuum system and the actual sanding and buffing machines. Because of the voltage and amperage associated therewith, the system bypasses the normal wall outlets and connects directly to the breaker box. This is a further safety feature which allows the user to determine visually any problems with the system and removes the possibility that a machine or blower plugged into a wall outlet causes a short in the wiring which results in a smoldering fire in the wall space.
An object of the present invention is to provide for a novel portable wood dust collection system for the simultaneous collection of wood dust generated during a wood floor sanding operation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide for a novel wood dust collection system which is modular and portable yet still maintain high static pressure.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel wood dust collection system from the collection of wood dust generated by wood floor sanding operation that will generate sufficient vacuum to permit the operation of multiple sanders, edgers or buffers simultaneously and collect variable combinations of wood dust encountered (i.e. oily, heavy, fine).
A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel wood dust collection system for the simultaneous collection of wood dust from a floor sanding operation which is easily assembled and disassembled for storage and transportation.
A portable dust collection system for the collection of wood dust generated during a wood floor sanding operation, the system comprising a plurality of portable blower motors comprising primary static pressure generator positioned in series between the sanding tools and collection container, the system having a plurality of collection hoses of increasing diameter between the sanding tools, and the primary static pressure generator with intermediate blower motors positioned between the hoses where diameters increase, which third hose is in communication with said collection container.